Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka: Up Close and Personal
Day 1: Colombo: Arrive in Colombo. Upon arrival, you will be met by our Peirce & Leslie colleague who will escort you to your hotel and help you to check-in.
Day 2: Colombo - Sigiriya: After a leisurely breakfast, you will drive to the Colombo airport to check-in for your flight to Sigiriya. Upon arrival, you will be met by your guide who will escort you to your hotel and help you to check-in.
In the afternoon, you will take a tour of Sigiriya Rock Fortress (a UNESCO World Heritage Site). The large stone and ancient rock fortress and palace ruins were rediscovered during British rule in 1831. It is renowned for its ancient frescoes, which are reminiscent of the Ajanta Caves of India.
You will then return to your hotel and the rest of the day will be at leisure.
Day 3: Sigiriya: After breakfast, you will drive to Polonnaruwa Ruins (approximately 1.5 hours, excluding stops), a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the island’s medieval capital between the 11th and 13th century. After your visit, you will be served a farm lunch at the “Priyamali Gedara”.
In the afternoon, you will take a game drive into Kaudulla National Park, Minneriya National Park or Eco Park (we will choose the park at that time, based on the most recent elephant sightings). This is a great opportunity to sight herds of these majestic pachyderms.
You will return to your hotel by evening.
Day 4: Sigirya – Kandy: After breakfast, you will drive to Kandy (approximately 3 hours, excluding stops).
On the way, you will stop at the magical cave temples of Dambulla (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) which were built by King Valagam Bahu in the 1st century BC in gratitude for the shelter he sought in the caves when fleeing from Indian invaders.
During the drive, you will also stop at a private spice garden in Matale and learn about the wonderful spices used in Sri Lankan cuisine. You will also participate in a hands-on cooking session followed by lunch.
You will then continue your drive to Kandy. On arrival, you will check-in to your hotel.
In the evening, you will visit the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic of Lord Buddha. You will watch the blessing ceremony with all the fanfare, drums, trumpets and brightly coloured monks performing their rituals.
If time permits, you can take a stroll in Kandy Town and Kandy Market and you can visit a Vishnu Kovil (temple) to receive a blessing.
You will then return to your hotel.
Day 5: Kandy – Hatton: This morning at about 09:00 hours, you may like to visit the Royal Botanical Gardens with a botanist.
After breakfast, you will drive to the Kandy railway-station to board the train to Hatton. You will carry light snacks on board the train. Please note: Train seats are subject to availability and cannot be guaranteed well in advance. In the unlikely event, we do not get seats; you will be driven to Hatton, taking a scenic route.
Your chauffeur-guide will drop you at Kandy Station, ensure you are on the train and drive to Hatton with your baggage. He will meet you on arrival at Hatton railway station and drive you to your resort (approximately 1 hour, excluding stops).
On arrival, you will check-in to your resort.
Day 6: Hatton: This morning, you will learn about the story of Ceylonese Tea. You will be taken to a tea factory and plantations to see how the world’s finest tea is made; how it is harvested by hand in the fields and processed in nearby factories in the traditional manner, which has remained unchanged for over a century.
Later, if you wish you can enjoy a relaxing spa treatment. The remainder of the day will be at leisure.
Day 7: Hatton – Galle: After breakfast, you will be driven to Castlereagh Reservoir to check-in for your flight to Koggala Airport.
On arrival at Koggala airport, you will be met by your chauffeur-cum-guide, and driven to Galle (approximately 1 hour, excluding stops). On arrival in Galle, you will check-in to your hotel.
In the evening, you will visit Galle Fort (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) with a local expert. Amongst the best-preserved colonial sea fortresses in Asia, it was first built in 1589 by the Portuguese, and extensively fortified by the Dutch during the 17th century.
After the walk, you will visit a local Galle home for dinner. You will then return to your hotel.
Day 8: Galle: The entire day will be at leisure with your chauffeur-cum-guide at your disposal to explore the area.
Optional – We have the following optional activities available and depending on what you feel like doing, we can arrange a number of things at an additional charge, including:
Day 9: Galle – Colombo: After breakfast, you will drive to Colombo via the Southern Expressway (approximately 2.5 hours, excluding stops). On arrival, you will check in to your hotel.
If time permits, you can go shopping in the capital. Our personal favorites are Barefoot & Paradise Road.
At 17.00 hours, you will leave for an experiential walk of Colombo City with a local historian and photography buff, who will take you through the glory days of Colombo Fort. You will then return to your hotel.
Day 10: Colombo – Onward Destination: After breakfast, you will be escorted to Colombo`s international airport by our Peirce & Leslie colleague to check-in for your homeward bound flight.
Day 2: Colombo - Sigiriya: After a leisurely breakfast, you will drive to the Colombo airport to check-in for your flight to Sigiriya. Upon arrival, you will be met by your guide who will escort you to your hotel and help you to check-in.
In the afternoon, you will take a tour of Sigiriya Rock Fortress (a UNESCO World Heritage Site). The large stone and ancient rock fortress and palace ruins were rediscovered during British rule in 1831. It is renowned for its ancient frescoes, which are reminiscent of the Ajanta Caves of India.
You will then return to your hotel and the rest of the day will be at leisure.
Day 3: Sigiriya: After breakfast, you will drive to Polonnaruwa Ruins (approximately 1.5 hours, excluding stops), a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the island’s medieval capital between the 11th and 13th century. After your visit, you will be served a farm lunch at the “Priyamali Gedara”.
In the afternoon, you will take a game drive into Kaudulla National Park, Minneriya National Park or Eco Park (we will choose the park at that time, based on the most recent elephant sightings). This is a great opportunity to sight herds of these majestic pachyderms.
You will return to your hotel by evening.
Day 4: Sigirya – Kandy: After breakfast, you will drive to Kandy (approximately 3 hours, excluding stops).
On the way, you will stop at the magical cave temples of Dambulla (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) which were built by King Valagam Bahu in the 1st century BC in gratitude for the shelter he sought in the caves when fleeing from Indian invaders.
During the drive, you will also stop at a private spice garden in Matale and learn about the wonderful spices used in Sri Lankan cuisine. You will also participate in a hands-on cooking session followed by lunch.
You will then continue your drive to Kandy. On arrival, you will check-in to your hotel.
In the evening, you will visit the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic of Lord Buddha. You will watch the blessing ceremony with all the fanfare, drums, trumpets and brightly coloured monks performing their rituals.
If time permits, you can take a stroll in Kandy Town and Kandy Market and you can visit a Vishnu Kovil (temple) to receive a blessing.
You will then return to your hotel.
Day 5: Kandy – Hatton: This morning at about 09:00 hours, you may like to visit the Royal Botanical Gardens with a botanist.
After breakfast, you will drive to the Kandy railway-station to board the train to Hatton. You will carry light snacks on board the train. Please note: Train seats are subject to availability and cannot be guaranteed well in advance. In the unlikely event, we do not get seats; you will be driven to Hatton, taking a scenic route.
Your chauffeur-guide will drop you at Kandy Station, ensure you are on the train and drive to Hatton with your baggage. He will meet you on arrival at Hatton railway station and drive you to your resort (approximately 1 hour, excluding stops).
On arrival, you will check-in to your resort.
Day 6: Hatton: This morning, you will learn about the story of Ceylonese Tea. You will be taken to a tea factory and plantations to see how the world’s finest tea is made; how it is harvested by hand in the fields and processed in nearby factories in the traditional manner, which has remained unchanged for over a century.
Later, if you wish you can enjoy a relaxing spa treatment. The remainder of the day will be at leisure.
Day 7: Hatton – Galle: After breakfast, you will be driven to Castlereagh Reservoir to check-in for your flight to Koggala Airport.
On arrival at Koggala airport, you will be met by your chauffeur-cum-guide, and driven to Galle (approximately 1 hour, excluding stops). On arrival in Galle, you will check-in to your hotel.
In the evening, you will visit Galle Fort (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) with a local expert. Amongst the best-preserved colonial sea fortresses in Asia, it was first built in 1589 by the Portuguese, and extensively fortified by the Dutch during the 17th century.
After the walk, you will visit a local Galle home for dinner. You will then return to your hotel.
Day 8: Galle: The entire day will be at leisure with your chauffeur-cum-guide at your disposal to explore the area.
Optional – We have the following optional activities available and depending on what you feel like doing, we can arrange a number of things at an additional charge, including:
- Whale watching expedition
- Visit a Cinnamon Plantation on bicycles
- Visit a traditional Southern Village.
- Visit a local fish market.
- Watch ‘fisherman on stilts’
Day 9: Galle – Colombo: After breakfast, you will drive to Colombo via the Southern Expressway (approximately 2.5 hours, excluding stops). On arrival, you will check in to your hotel.
If time permits, you can go shopping in the capital. Our personal favorites are Barefoot & Paradise Road.
At 17.00 hours, you will leave for an experiential walk of Colombo City with a local historian and photography buff, who will take you through the glory days of Colombo Fort. You will then return to your hotel.
Day 10: Colombo – Onward Destination: After breakfast, you will be escorted to Colombo`s international airport by our Peirce & Leslie colleague to check-in for your homeward bound flight.
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